Double acting plunger clamp



March 1966 A. w. M PHERSON DOUBLE ACTING PLUNGER CLAMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 1Filed April 23, 1963 March 1, 1966 A. w. M PHERSON 3,237,463

DOUBLE ACTING PLUNGER CLAMP Filed April 23, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 UnitedStates Patent 3,237,463 DOUBLE ACTING PLUNGER CLAMP Alexander W.McPherson, Detroit, Mich, assignor to De- Sta-Co Corporation, Detroit,Mich, a corporation of Michigan Filed Apr. 23, 1963, Ser. No. 275,104 7Claims. (Cl. 74-106) This invention relates to a toggle actuated plungerclamp having common linkage adapted to actuate and lock the plunger inboth push and pull directions and provided with further versatilitythrough the incorporation of a substantially universal mounting base.

The objects and advantages of this plunger clamp as well as itsconstruction and operation may best be understood by reference to thedrawings disclosing a preferred embodiment and certain modificationsthereof wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of the clamp with the plunger actuated to fullyextended position;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevation with the base partially sectioned;

FIGURE 3 is a bottom view of the clamp with the base sectioned andlargely broken away to reveal the clamp linkage;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 2 showing an alternate linkage andstop construction;

FIGURE 5 is a view similar to FIGURE 4 with the plunger actuated to itsfully retracted and locked position; and

FIGURE 6 is a bottom view of the modified construction shown in FIGURE4.

With reference to FIGURES 1-3 the clamp comprises a plunger 10 extendingthrough a closely fitting aperture in a plunger guide 11 to an innermostend which is pinned to a pair of handle links 12 which are integralextensions of handle elements 13 pivotally connected by pivots 14 to apair of side link elements 15 joined by an integral bridge 16 theforward ends of which are pivotally connected by a pair of pins 17 tosides of the plunger guide 11. A threaded extension 18 of the plungerguide passes through a circular aperture in the base element 19 beingtightly secured thereto in any adjusted position throughout a 36% degreerange of adjustment by lock nut 20. A base 19 is formed as an anglestamping having mounting holes 21 provided in a vertical face as well asfurther mounting holes 22 in the base portion which extendssubstantially parallel to the line of action of the clamp. In operationthe handle 13 may be actuated to the position shown in FIG. 2 moving theplunger 10 to its fully extended position with the handle links 12 insubstantial alignment with the forward and rear pivots 17 and 14 of theside links 15 such handle links 12 being in stop registration with theunderside of the bridge element 16. As shown in phantom in FIG. 2 thehandle element 13 can be actuated to a retracting position 13a where thehandle links 12a are again in substantial alignment with the side barpivots 17, 14 but with the plunger now in fully retracted position andwith the handle ele ments now in stop registration with the edge 16a ofthe bridge so that the clamp may be fully actuated and locked in eithera fully extended push position or fully retracted pull positionutilizing common elements for actuation and stop functions. The abilityof the clamp to be mounted in any rotative position relative to the baseis illustrated by the 90 degree rotation shown in phantom in FIG. 2.

The operation of the clamp is also illustrated in the modifiedconstructions of FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 wherein simple unbridged side linkelements 15a are employed and 3,237,463 Patented Mar. 1, 1966 stop earextensions 24 and 25 are integrally provided in the handle element 13afor alternate engagement the bottom side of the links 15a when theplunger 10 is in extended position and with the top side of the links15a when the plunger 10 is in retracted position.

While a preferred embodiment and modification have been shown anddescribed above in detail, it will be understood that furthermodifications might be resorted to without departing from the scope ofthe invention as defined in the following claims.

I claim:

1. A double acting plunger clamp comprising a plunger guide, a clampplunger moving along a linear path established by said guide, a handlehaving extension linkage pivotally connected to one end of such plunger,interconnecting linkage pivotally anchored to said guide and pivotallyconnected to said handle at a position spaced from said first pivotalconnection, the respective pivotal connections being substantiallyalignable with said plunger in alternate positions wherein said firstnamed pivotal connection is alternately between and exterior of saidother pivotal connections, and positive stop means for arresting thetravel of said handle at the end of the plunger stroke to either of itsextreme positions wherein said alignment of pivotal connections takesplace.

2. A double acting plunger clamp as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidinterconnecting linkage comprises a pair of side links integrallyconnected by a bridge.

3. A double acting plunger clamp as set forth in claim 2 wherein saidbridge is operative to stop the travel of said handle in either of itsextreme positions.

4. A double acting plunger clamp as set forth in claim 1 including abase having a wall extending substantially normal to the plunger path, acircular aperture through said wall, said plunger guide having anextension passing through said circular aperture providing swiveladjustment for said plunger clamp relative to said base, and means forsecuring said plunger clamp in any adjusted position relative to saidbase.

5. A double acting plunger clamp as set forth in claim 1 wherein saidinterconnecting linkage comprises a pair of side links, and said stopmeans comprises ear extensions on said handle alternately engageablewith opposite edges of said side links.

5. A double actmg plunger clamp as set forth in claim 4 wherein saidbase comprises an angle bracket having an attachment surfacesubstantially parallel to the line of action of said plunger.

'7. A double acting plunger clamp comprising a cylindrical plunger, aguide for said plunger having a mating cylindrical aperturetherethrough, a handle having a pair of spaced links pivotally connectedat either side of one end of said plunger, said links having integralright angle extensions converging to form a handle, interconnecting sidelinks pivotally connected to said guide and to the right angle handlelink juncture, and stop means for arresting the travel of said handle inactuating said linkage at either of two extreme positions wherein saidrespective pivotal connections are all in substantial alignment withsaid plunger.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,412,736 12/1946James 269228 X 2,567,436 9/1951 Lampe 74-l06 2,574,281 11/1951 Olson74106 X BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner.

1. A DOUBLE ACTING PLUNGER CLAMP COMPRISING A PLUNGER GUIDE, A CLAMPPLUNGER MOVING ALONG A LINEAR PATH ESTABLISHED BY SAID GUIDE, A HANDLEHAVING EXTENSION LINKAGE PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO ONE END OF SUCH PLUNGER,INTERCONNECTING LINKAGE PIVOTALLY ANCHORED TO SAID GUIDE AND PIVOTALLYCONNECTED TO SAID HANDLE AT A POSITION SPACED FROM SAID FIRST PIVOTALCONNECTION, THE RESPECTIVE PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS BEING SUBSTANTIALLYALIGNABLE WITH SAID PLUNGER IN ALTERNATE POSITIONS WHEREIN SAID FIRSTNAMED PIVOTAL CONNECTION IS ALTERNATELY BETWEEN AND EXTERIOR OF SAIDOTHER PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS AND POSITIVE STOP MEANS FOR ARRESTING THETRAVEL OF SAID HANDLE AT THE END OF THE PLUNGER STROKE TO EITHER OF ITSEXTREME POSITIONS WHEREIN SAID ALIGNMENT OF PIVOTAL CONNECTIONS TAKESPLACE.